Feeder system and method for supplying electrical components to a pick up location

ABSTRACT

A feeder system (1) for supplying electrical components (20) to a pick-and-place machine (14). The feeder system has a two storage hoppers (2a,2b) respective storage outlets (6a,6b), There is a pick up location (3) and a passage (4) provides communication between the storage outlets (6a,6b) and the pick up location (3). A first fluid jet outlet 31 associated with storage outlets (6a,6b) provides fluid blasts to agitate components (20) the hoppers (2a,2b). A second fluid jet outlet (32) associated provides fluid blasts to propel the components (20) towards the pick up location (3).

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to a feeder system and method for supplyingelectrical components to a pick up location. The invention isparticularly useful for, but not necessarily limited to, supplyingsurface mountable electrical components, stored in hoppers, to pick uplocations for subsequent mounting to a circuit board.

BACKGROUND ART

Component feeding is a well-known process in Surface Mounting Technology(SMT). In general, a feeder is used to sequentially supply surfacemountable electrical components to a pick up location for subsequentplacing, by a pick-and-place machine, onto a Printed Circuit Board (PCB)which is pre-printed with solder paste.

One form of feeder is a tape and reel feeder in which the electricalcomponents are packaged on a tape that is wound onto a reel. The tapecomprises individual pockets each containing one of the electricalcomponents that are individually sealed in the pockets by a covering ofthin film. In use, the film is removed when the tape enters the pick uplocation therefore leaving a pocket containing one of the electricalcomponents in a position accessible by the pick-and-place machine.Unfortunately, the tape is substantially wider than the componentslocated in the pockets thereby increasing the width of the feeder.Further, the reel and apparatus for removing the film also add to thewidth and overall size of the feeder.

Hopper feeders also known as bulk or tube feeders are an alternative totape and reel feeders. Hopper feeders usually comprise a hopper incommunication, along a downwardly sloping passage, with the pick uplocation. The downwardly sloping passage makes use of gravity forsupplying the components to the pick up location. To further assist thesupplying of the components to the pick up location a combination ofgravity and air blasting has also been used. However, the components cansometimes be removed from the pick up location faster than they can besupplied especially when high speed carousel or rapid pick up robot armsare used for removing the components from the pick up location. This canresult in an undesirable delay as it can reduce the efficiency of thepick-and-place machine which may have to wait for components to bedelivered to the pick up location.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an aim of this invention to overcome or alleviate at least one ofthe problems associated with prior art feeder systems and methods forsupplying components to a pick up location.

According to one aspect of this invention there is provided a feedersystem for supplying electrical components to a pick-and-place machine,the feeder system comprising:

at least one component storage means with two or more storage outlets;

a pick up location;

a passage providing communication between said storage outlets and saidpick up location;

a first fluid jet outlet associated with one or more of said storageoutlets for providing fluid blasts to agitate components in saidcomponent storage means; and

a second fluid jet outlet associated with said passage for providingfluid blasts to propel said components located in said passage towardssaid pick up location.

Suitably, said first fluid jet outlet may be located to provide airblasts through at least a first and second one of said storage outlets.

Suitably, said first fluid jet outlet may be located in a wall of saidpassage.

Preferably, said second fluid jet outlet may be located in a wall ofsaid passage.

Preferably, there may be pressurised air supply means operativelycoupled to said first and second fluid jet outlets by respective valves.

Alternatively, there may be a third fluid jet outlet, wherein said firstfluid jet outlet is located to provide air blasts through at least afirst one of said storage outlets, and said third fluid jet outlet islocated to provide air blasts through at a second one of said storageoutlets.

Suitably, there may be a controller for selectively controlling saidvalves to alternately supply air blasts to said first and third fluidoutlets.

Preferably, said passage may comprise an upwardly inclined portion whichis upwardly inclined towards said pick up location

Suitably, an end of said upwardly inclined portion may be directlycoupled to said pick up location.

In an alternative form there may be an intermediate portion of saidpassage between said pick up location and said upwardly inclinedportion.

Suitably, said intermediate portion may have a component supportingsurface angled relative to a component supporting surface of saidupwardly inclined portion.

The said component supporting surface of said intermediate portion maybe substantially aligned in a horizontal plane.

Preferably, a component supporting surface of said pick up location canbe angled relative to a component supporting surface of said upwardlyinclined portion. The said component supporting surface of said pick uplocation may be substantially aligned in a horizontal plane.

Suitably, said passage may include a first portion providingcommunication between said storage means and upwardly inclined portion,wherein a length of said first portion is angled relative to saidupwardly inclined portion.

Preferably, said storage means may be at least two hoppers, each hopperbeing associated with one of said storage outlets.

Suitably, each of said hoppers may comprise a first funnel portion forguiding components into a second funnel portion,

wherein said second funnel portion is adapted to receive said componentssuch that a surface thereof is aligned to an alignment plane,

and wherein said second funnel portion is adapted to funnel saidcomponents into said hopper outlet.

According to another aspect of this invention there is provided a methodfor supplying electrical components to a pick-and-place machine by afeeder system having a component storage means with two or more storageoutlets coupled by a passage to a pick up location, the methodcomprising the steps of:

providing air blasts to a first fluid jet outlet associated with saidstorage outlets to agitate said electrical components stored in saidcomponent storage means, the agitation thereof allowing for thepossibility of one or more components to pass through said storageoutlets and into said passage; and

supplying air blasts to a second fluid jet outlet associated with saidpassage thereby propelling said components located in said passagetowards said pick up location.

According to another aspect of this invention there is provided a methodfor supplying electrical components to a pick-and-place machine by afeeder system having a component storage means with two or more storageoutlets coupled by a passage to a pick up location, the methodcomprising the steps of:

providing air blasts to a first fluid jet outlet associated with a firstone of said storage outlets to agitate said electrical components storedin said component storage means, the agitation thereof allowing for thepossibility of one or more components to pass through said first one ofsaid storage outlets and into said passage;

alternately supplying air blasts to third fluid jet outlet associatedwith a second one of said storage outlets to agitate said electricalcomponents stored in said component storage means, the agitation thereofallowing for the possibility of one or more components to pass throughsaid second one of said storage outlets and into said passage; and

supplying air blasts to a second fluid jet outlet associated with saidpassage thereby propelling said components located in said passagetowards said pick up location.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In order that the invention may be readily understood and put intopractical effect, reference will now be made to preferred embodimentsillustrated in the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a side view of a preferred embodiment of a feeder system inaccordance with this invention;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the feeder system of FIG. 1 when incorporatedinto a feeder system mounted adjacent a conveyor track of a pick andplace machine; and

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a second preferred embodiment of part ofa feeder system in accordance with this invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2 there is illustrated a feeder system 1 forsupplying electrical components 20 to pick-and-place machine 14. Thefeeder system 1 comprises a storage means in the form of two hoppers2a,2b, a pick up location 3 with respective storage outlets 6a,6b and apassage 4. The passage 4 provides communication between the storageoutlets 6a,6b and the pick up location 3 so that electrical components20 in hoppers 2a,2b can transferred to the pick up location 3.

The passage 4 comprises an upwardly inclined portion 5 that is upwardlyinclined towards the pick up location 3. The passage 4 has anintermediate portion 7 between the pick up location 3 and the upwardlyinclined portion 5. The intermediate portion 7 has a componentsupporting surface 8b in a horizontal plane angled relative to acomponent supporting surface 8a of the upwardly inclined portion 5.

The pick up location 3 has a component supporting surface 9 that isaligned with surface 8b. There is also an abutment wall 10 for stoppingand positioning the components 20 and an access aperture 11 allowsremoval of the components 20, by the pick-and-place machine 14 from thepick up location 3.

The passage 4 also has a first portion 12 and second portion 13 angledrelative to each other. The second portion 13 is coupled at one end tooutlets 6a,6b and at the other end of second portion 13 is coupled to anend of the second portion 12. The other end of the second portion 12 iscoupled to an end of the upwardly inclined portion 5 and the firstportion 12 is angled relative to the upwardly inclined portion 5.

There is a first fluid jet outlet 31 associated with and located toprovide air blasts through storage outlets 6a,6b to allow for agitatingthe components 20 in hoppers 2a,2b so that some of them may drop intothe passage 4. There is second fluid jet outlet 32 associated with thepassage 4, for propelling the components 20 that have dropped into thepassage 4 towards the pick up location 3. As illustrated the first andsecond fluid jet outlets 31,32 are in a wall of passage 4 and they arecoupled to respective air conduits 17,18 which allow for air to besupplied respectively to fluid jet outlets 31,32. The passage 4, pick uplocation 3, hoppers 2a,2b and air conduits 17,18 are machined into asurface of a block 15 and enclosed by a transparent plate 16 that isglued and bolted to the block 15 (bolts not shown).

As specifically illustrated in FIG. 2, the conduits 17,18 areoperatively coupled to respective solenoid valves S1,S2 by flexiblepiping 27,28. The solenoid valves S1,S2 selectively allow for couplingof piping 27,28 to a pressurised air supply means in the form of acompressor 30. There is also a controller 29 associated with the pickand place machine 14 for use in selectively controlling the solenoidvalves S1,S2.

The feeder system 1 is located adjacent a conveyor track 22 of thepick-and-place machine 14. The conveyor track 22 is used to transport aprinted circuit board 24 to a position near the pick up locations 3 sothat a robot arm 25 (or some other pick up device such as a carousel)can remove the components 20 in the location 3 via the access aperture11. The robot arm 25 sequentially places the components onto the board24 in their required positions. Although only one feeder system 1 isillustrated, it will be apparent to a person skilled in the art that aplurality of feeder systems 1 can be mounted side by side and theconduits 17,18 of each feeder system 1 would typically be operativelycoupled to further solenoid valves that are selectively controllable bycontroller 29.

In operation the controller 29 will control solenoid valves S1,S2 toallow pulsed air blasts to be provided alternatively through fluid jetoutlet 31 and fluid jet outlet 32. Accordingly, after each air blastthrough the first fluid jet outlet 31, one or more components 20 maydrop through the storage outlets 6a,6b and into the passage 4.Similarly, after each air blast through the second fluid jet outlet 32,some of the components 20 that have dropped into passage 4 will bepropelled along the passage 4 and up the upwardly inclined portion 5.Further, if there is available space, a leading one of the components 20in the queue will be pushed into the intermediate portion 7. However,upon completion of each alternate air blast through fluid jet outlet 32,some of the components 20 will slide down the inclined portion 5 due tothe effects of gravity.

When there is no component located in pick up location 3, the next airblast through fluid jet outlet 32 will push the leading one of thecomponents 20 into location 3. This leading component will abut wall 10and be positioned underneath the access aperture 11 ready for removal bypick-and-place machine 14. Further, if there is a component 20 locatedin the intermediate portion 7, this will push against, and assist in,maintaining positioning of the leading component against the wall 10.This positioning allows for the leading component to be removed from thepick up location 3 with reduced friction against wall 10. This isbecause the inclined portion 5 effectively separates the bulk ofcomponents 20 in passage 4 from this leading component.

Referring to FIG. 3 there is illustrated a second embodiment of theinvention. In this regard, only the differences from the embodiment ofFIGS. 1 and 2 will be described to avoid repetition. In FIG. 3 part of ahopper feeder system is shown and comprises two hoppers 40, 41 with arespective first funnel portion 47,48 for guiding components into arespective second funnel portion 49,50. The hoppers 40,41 are adapted toreceive the components 20 such that one surface of each hopper isaligned in an alignment plane. Further, the second funnel portion 49,50of the respective hoppers 40,41 is shaped to funnel the components intorespective storage outlets 42,43. There are first and third fluid jetoutlets 45,46 associated with and adjacent respective the storageoutlets 42,43. In addition, there is a second fluid jet outlet 51associated and located in a passage 44, this passage 44 having an endcoupled to outlets 42,43 and the other end of the passage 44 is coupledto a pick up location as will be apparent to a person skilled in theart.

The fluid jet outlets 45,46,51 are operatively coupled to respectivecontrollable solenoid valves S1,S3,S3. In use, S1 allows compressed airto be supplied to fluid jet outlet 45 thereby agitating components 20 inhopper 40, then S3 allows compressed air to be supplied to fluid jetoutlet 46 thereby agitating components 20 in hopper 41. This agitatingof components 20 in hoppers 40,41 may provide for some components todrop into passage 44. Thus, by S2 allowing air blasts to be provided tofluid jet outlet 51, components in passage 44 may be propelled towardsthe pick up location.

The present invention, as will be apparent to a person skilled in theart, increases the likelihood of more components 20 entering passage 4and being supplied to the pick up location 3. Accordingly, thisadvantageously reduces the possibility of the pick and place machine 14having to wait for components 20 to be delivered to the pick up location3.

Although this invention has been described with reference to a preferredembodiment, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited tothe specific embodiment described herein. For instance, the controller31 could be incorporated into circuitry of the pick and place machineand the hoppers 2a,2b could be a single hopper with two outlets.Further, the sequence of air blasts through outlets 45,46,51 of FIG. 3may be altered and still provide a similar result.

We claim:
 1. A feeder system for supplying electrical components to apick-and-place machine, the feeder system comprising:at least onecomponent storage means with two or more storage outlets; a pick uplocation; a passage providing communication between said storage outletsand said pick up location; a first fluid jet outlet associated with oneor more of said storage outlets for providing fluid blasts to agitatecomponents in said component storage means; and a second fluid jetoutlet associated with said passage and proximate to said first fluidjet outlet for providing fluid blasts to propel said components locatedin said passage to said pick up location.
 2. A feeder system as claimedin claim 1, wherein said first fluid jet outlet is located to provideair blasts through at least a first and second one of said storageoutlets.
 3. A feeder system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said firstfluid jet outlet is located in a wall of said passage.
 4. A feedersystem as claimed in claim 1, wherein there are pressurised air supplymeans operatively coupled to said first and second fluid jet outlets byrespective valves.
 5. A feeder system as claimed in claim 1, whereinthere is a third fluid jet outlet,and wherein said first fluid jetoutlet is located to provide air blasts through at least a first one ofsaid storage outlets, and said third fluid jet outlet is located toprovide air blasts through at a second one of said storage outlets.
 6. Afeeder system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said passage comprises anupwardly inclined portion which is upwardly inclined towards said pickup location.
 7. A feeder system as claimed in claim 1, wherein an end ofsaid upwardly inclined portion is directly coupled to said pick uplocation.
 8. A feeder system as claimed in claim 1, wherein there is anintermediate portion of said passage between said pick up location andsaid upwardly inclined portion.
 9. A feeder system as claimed in claim1, wherein said storage means comprises at least two hoppers, eachhopper being associated with one of said storage outlets.
 10. A feedersystem as claimed in claim 9, wherein each of said hoppers may comprisea first funnel portion for guiding components into a second funnelportion,wherein said second funnel portion is adapted to receive saidcomponents such that a surface thereof is aligned to an alignment plane,and wherein said second funnel portion is adapted to funnel saidcomponents into said hopper outlet.
 11. A method for supplyingelectrical components to a pick-and-place machine by a feeder systemhaving a component storage means with two or more storage outletscoupled by a passage to a pick up location, and having first and secondfluid jet outlets, said second fluid jet outlet proximate to said firstfluid jet outlet, the method comprising the steps of:providing airblasts to said first fluid jet outlet associated with said storageoutlets to agitate said electrical components stored in said componentstorage means, the agitation thereof allowing for the possibility of oneor more components to pass through said storage outlets and into saidpassage; and supplying air blasts to said second fluid jet outletassociated with said passage thereby propelling said components locatedin said passage to said pick up location.